Shyam Selvadurai's debut novel follows Arjie Chelvaratnam, a Tamil boy navigating childhood and adolescence within an extended family in Colombo during the turbulent years before Sri Lanka's 1983 riots. Through his eyes, we witness a cast of unforgettable characters and a coming-of-age marked by sexual awakening, family secrets, and the gradual discovery of injustice and violence in the world around him. Set against escalating political tensions, Arjie's passage from innocence to maturity becomes a poignant exploration of how personal longings clash with harsh realities.
